Sam's Strip: The Comic About Comics #[nn]

Fantagraphics' 2009 collection of Sam's Strip brings together the complete run of Mort Walker and Jerry Dumas's wonderfully self-aware newspaper strip — a comic literally about the world of comics. The cover, illustrated by Jerry Dumas, sets the playful tone perfectly: a tuxedoed cartoon character holds a newspaper amid a collage of strip panels featuring familiar comic-page faces like Mandrake the Magician and a cast of classic funny-page figures. It's a warm, witty celebration of the medium that wears its love of the art form right on its sleeve.